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Poilievre Vows to Quickly Approve 10 Delayed Resource Projects with Creation of New Office


Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has proposed the establishment of a new office to expedite regulatory approvals, ensuring the swift authorization of 10 resource projects that have been delayed for years.

During an April 7 press conference in Terrace, B.C., Poilievre unveiled plans for a Rapid Resource Project Office under a Tory government. This office would handle all regulatory approvals, streamlining the process so that businesses can avoid “wasting time navigating through dozens of different agencies at three different levels of government.”

Each project would undergo a single application and environmental review, with maximum wait times reduced to one year, aiming for six months. Poilievre emphasized a commitment to swiftly approve 10 stalled projects, including LNG Canada Phase 2, which would double liquid natural gas output from 14 million to 28 million tonnes.

“We will eliminate the redundant process currently in place where the same environmental review is done three times for three government levels,” Poilievre stated. “We will consolidate them into one unified process.”

Poilievre also pledged approval for projects such as the Suncor Base Mine Extension in Alberta, the Sorel-Tracy Port Terminal in Quebec, the Rock 1 Uranium Mine in Saskatchewan, and projects in Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland.

The former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s administration, during the 2008 Great Recession, required one-page applications and a single environmental review for municipal infrastructure projects, completing over 23,500 projects in under two years without ecological issues.

Poilievre aims to prioritize the rapid approval of major projects, making a series of related announcements during his campaign in recent weeks.

On March 20, he introduced the concept of “Canada Shovel Ready Zones” to pre-approve permits for significant construction and energy projects like LNG plants, power stations, hydro dams, and mines.

The government will select appropriate locations for these projects and conduct environmental and local impact assessments in advance. Poilievre cited an example of the cancellation of an LNG project in the Saguenay region of Quebec due to blockages from federal and provincial entities.

Additionally, Poilievre announced on March 31 plans for a pre-approved national energy corridor to enable the construction of pipelines, transmission lines, rail lines, and other necessary infrastructure to reduce Canada’s reliance on the U.S.

Liberal Leader Mark Carney has proposed the development of a national trade and economic corridor through a “First Mile Fund” that would connect energy extraction sites to transportation networks. He has also suggested implementing a streamlined approval process called “One Window” for large-scale infrastructure projects.

The Conservatives have also stated their intention to remove the federal emissions cap on the oil and gas sector, a stance Carney disagrees with.

Carney emphasized the need for Canada to develop conventional oil resources while also implementing emissions caps to facilitate a transition to cleaner energy sources.

“We need to reduce emissions,” Carney said during a press conference in Victoria, B.C., on April 7. “Canadian technology can help lower emissions.” He highlighted the potential use of carbon capture storage projects like the Pathways Project to achieve this objective.



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